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Monday, June 30, 2014

■ Devon Allen won his second 110m hurdles title in as many weeks yesterday at the USATF track meet in Sacramento yesterday.

The win is a historic one for the freshman. Allen is the first to pull off the NCAA/USA double since former world-record holder Renaldo Nehemiah in 1979. Similar to Allen, Nehemiah was a dual sport athlete and played wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers.

Saturday, June 28, 2014

■ Ted Miller has Oregon in the "we'll see" category when reviewing receiver position groups in the Pac-12.

Despite losing three of their top four receivers, the Ducks looked fine here until Bralon Addison blew out his knee in spring practices. Addison was a budding star and will be missed. Keanon Lowe, now the leading returning receiver with 18 receptions, is more a No. 2 guy. There are options, though they are unproven. Dwayne Stanford is back from a knee injury, and Darren Carrington had a good spring. Chance Allen and speedster Devon Allen -- no relation -- are intriguing talents. And maybe B.J. Kelly finally breaks through? Or freshmen Jalen Brown and Charles Nelson make an immediate impact?

Friday, June 27, 2014

■ Kevin Gemmell breaks down the preseason running back position in the Pac-12 where you will find Oregon at the top of the list.

The combination of Byron Marshall and Thomas Tyner should be as dangerous as ever. De'Anthony Thomas never really grew into the role as an every-down back, but Marshall carried 168 times for 1,038 yards and 14 touchdowns. Tyner slowly picked up more carries and finished with 115 for 711 yards and nine touchdowns. Folks are also excited to see what incoming freshman Royce Freeman brings to the table. This is a scary corps, even before you realize that Marcus Mariota also carried 96 times for 715 yards and nine touchdowns last year.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

■ Ted Miller is starting to review position groups for the Pac-12 and has Oregon at the top of the list for quarterbacks.

Junior Marcus Mariota is -- again -- a leading Heisman Trophy candidate and a two-time first-team All-Pac-12 performer. He would have been an early-round NFL draft pick this spring if he'd opted not to return. The Ducks have some questions at receiver though.

■ Dale Newton says there are only 66 days until football starts again and the opening game against South Dakota already has the Coyotes vowing to beat the Ducks. (sorry SD but that isn't going to happen anytime soon)

■ A few football players were among the Oregon athletes participating in a trip to Nicaragua recently that was unforgettable according to this O Heroes group.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Ofodile, the nation's fifth-ranked receiver and the son of former Baltimore Ravens tight end O.J. Ofodile, said the coaching staff, including head coach Mark Helfrich, offensive coordinator Scott Frost and receivers coach Matt Lubick, made his decision relatively easy.

■ Andrew Greif sat down with former DB Ryan DePalo to talk about the life of a walk-on player for the Ducks.

The 18-year-old Rancho Bernardo High School (Calif.) star inked a $4.2 million contract with the Seattle Mariners on Monday, nearly a week after the No. 6 pick in the MLB Draft was reported to have agreed to terms with the team. (you win some and lose some)

Monday, June 23, 2014

"Probably after seeing everything, the campus and the facilities, meeting with the coaches I knew I wanted to play at Oregon," Hanson said to 247Sports. "I was going to wait a couple of weeks and maybe see a couple other places to make sure. But after all the other commits I decided I wanted to do it now."

■ Will Denner believes the recent departures is nothing for football fans to worry about.

The takeaway should be a positive one, because it shows that position battles between players are just as competitive and highly contested as they have been in past memory. These departures suggest that the skill level of individual Ducks players are higher than average and the transferring players believe they can find more playing time elsewhere. For the team as a whole, this is not a bad position to be in at all.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

■ Kevin Gemmell is running a poll for the best non-league win in the last four years in the Pac-12 and the Oregon vs Wisconsin win in the Rose Bowl is leading the group.

The biggest knock on the Chip Kelly era at the time was that he hadn't won a BCS game – yet -- after losing in the Rose Bowl in 2009 and the national championship game in 2010. But in the 2011 (season) Rose Bowl, the Ducks got over the hump with a 45-38 victory over the Badgers. The world was also introduced to “DAT” guy.

Friday, June 20, 2014

■ Mark Helfrich talked about 2015 QB recruits and Ducks' recruiting in general with Andrew Greif.

"We want to get the right guys. Everybody says that but that's all that matters. Absolutely you're going to come in second a lot in recruiting, that's going to happen, it's just a percentage game. As long as we're going to end up with the right guys when the letters come in -- and more importantly when those guys show up in the fall and go -- that's what matters."■ Chantel Jennings shares part two of her interview with Scott Frost.

■ Kevin Gemmell outlines the Pac-12 media day lineup which starts July 23 in LA. Mark Helfrich, Marcus Mariota and Derrick Malone will be on hand for Oregon.

■ The next two weeks will feature former Oregon football players appearing at local youth fundraisers.

■ Mark Helfrich says there is no "smoking gun" regarding the recent spate of transfers.

■ Athlon Sports polled ten Pac-12 experts and asked their favorite stadium in the conference. Autzen came in first with 8 of 10 first place votes and second on the other two ballots. Potato salad stadium finished tied for last place, go figure.

■ Oregon athletes were recognized for their great academic work recently.

None of these [recent] signings have come to the surprise of George Horton, who said before the draft he was expecting several of his incoming freshmen to choose the professional route. The lure of starting a professional career and money is often times a trump card, he said. But that hasn't stopped the Ducks from seeking out players that may potentially spurn Oregon for the pros.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

■ Phil Steele has Marcus Mariota on top of the list for 2014 Heisman candidates.

Last year, Mariota became the first Oregon quarterback to top 4,000 yards of total offense (4,380) while accounting for 40 total touchdowns and just four interceptions. He accomplished this despite wearing a knee brace for much of the second half of the season, which limited his mobility. With added rest for the bowl game against Texas, he ran for a season-high 133 yards. Now 100 percent healthy, he has a solid shot to top last year's remarkable statistical totals while leading a Ducks team that figures to play a huge role in the first College Football Playoff.

The Ducks will try to get back to Oklahoma City next spring with [Cheridan] Hawkins again in the circle as their ace. The left-hander is well on her way to establishing a UO record for career strikeouts, with 542, more than halfway to Jess Moore’s record of 915. And Hawkins has 54 career wins, on pace to break Moore’s school record of 100.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

He's an NCAA champion in track and field and fighting for playing time in football, but Devon Allen considers himself "football first" despite running the second-fastest 110-meter hurdles in collegiate history.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

■ Ted Miller looks at the best wins in the Pac-12 North for the last four years and has this to say about Oregon.

When you've won as many games as Oregon over the last four years, there are lots to choose from. The Wisconsin win in the 2012 Rose Bowl (2011 season) got them over the BCS hump. They've gone 4-0 in the Civil War and owned Washington. But one of the most impressive victories I’ve seen in person was the 53-30 win at No. 4 Stanford in 2011. LaMichael James was electric with 146 yards and three touchdowns and the defense forced five Stanford turnovers. The win put Oregon back in the national title hunt (at least for a week, then that whole USC thing happened) and snapped Stanford’s 17-game winning streak.

■ Phil Steele ($ESPN Insider) predicts what the AP top 25 preseason ranking will look like later this fall and has Oregon at #3.

■ The Sporting News likes Oregon vs Oklahoma in the inaugural College Football Championship game.

■ Andrew Greif wonders which Oregon LB will benefit the most now that Tyrell Robinson has transferred.

■ Dale Newton introduces you to freshman WR Jalen Brown and wonders if he'll see action in 2014.

■ Jake Tabor @ATQ has another moment that matters as he looks at Avery Patterson intercepting a pass against UCLA last year.

■ Tyson Alger says Tommy Thorpe will likely end his Oregon career as one of the team's all time greats.

The Oregon junior threw a complete game against Cal, allowing a lone run and six hits while striking out eight in a Ducks win. He treated the fans from start to finish, and they were left applauding on their feet as Thorpe recorded the final out. It was a fitting way for Thorpe's regular season to end, and now, it looks like an even better way for him to go out as an Oregon Duck.

Monday, June 16, 2014

■ Marcus Mariota will reach another milestone today as he'll join other graduates at Matt Knight arena. (Story courtesy of Ryan Thorburn at the R-G.)

Having a degree in hand will take a lot of the pressure off the program’s star, who plans to take a lighter load of courses this fall. Captaining the Ducks as a college graduate will also make Mariota’s parents, Toa and Alana, even more proud.“It’s definitely a relief,” Mariota said. “I’m going to have an opportunity to really focus on football and not necessarily worry about my studies as much. …“To get my degree, it was something as a family we decided this is what I went to school for. We wanted to finish what we started.”

■ Mike Merrell talks about the impact Devon Allen might have on the football team this year.

Somehow, I believe defensive coordinators will think twice about crowding the line of scrimmage to stop Byron Marshall, Thomas Tyner and Marcus Mariota from running, while leaving some relatively lead-footed cornerback on an island against Allen. If they don’t think twice, there is one Duck that is going to be doing a lot of pushups.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

■ Ted Miller says Ifo Ekpre-Olumu is Oregon's most important player this year.(First off, quarterbacks are excluded to make things more interesting. It goes without saying, for example, that Marcus Mariota is Oregon's most important player.)

While the Ducks traditionally play a lot of folks on defense, and the projected starters in 2014 are fairly game-tested, there's no question that Ekpre-Olomu is the veteran bell cow and leader. He needs to lead not only by example but also lead by making sure everybody is lining up correctly and handling the adversity that inevitably hits a defensive back.

■ Alex Kirby looks at three shortcuts to creating a no-huddle offense.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

I think he would have been one of the first two corners taken in the 2014 draft had he come out. Ekpre-Olomu doesn't have elite size -- he's roughly 5-foot-10 and about 195 pounds -- but he makes up for it on tape, showing great instincts in coverage. He brings a physical nature when the play is in front of him, perhaps owing to his high school days as a two-way player who also starred at running back. Assuming he stays healthy, he's a first-round talent.

■ Andrew Greif reviews the O-line after spring practices has ended and looks ahead to fall.

■ Steven Holstad wonders if Byron Marshall is thinking he might be the "forgotten" running back this this year.

■ Tyson Alger reports six baseball players will be competing the the summer wood bat leagues.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

■ Ted Miller believes the Michigan St. vs Oregon game on Sept. 6th is the best non-conference game in the Pac-12 this year.

It's a top-10 -- perhaps even top-five -- matchup that looks like a Rose Bowl. Or a College Football Playoff semifinal. The Spartans shut down Stanford in the Rose Bowl in January and are eyeballing even bigger things this fall. Like the Ducks.

■ LB Tyrell Robinson has decided to transfer but his brother will be staying calling it a family decision.

■ Dale Newton says the Duck defense is poised to play bigger role in the drive for a stellar season.

■ Charles Fisher analyzes the matchup of Tyler Johnstone and Anthony Barr from the UCLA game last year.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Notes: Ducks center Hroniss Grasu is the only All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 O-lineman returning this fall, which will be his fourth as a starter. He leads the conference with 40 career starts. Tackles Tyler Johnstone and Jake Fisher are two-year starters, but Johnstone is coming back from a knee injury and might not be available early in the season.

■ Jeremy Crabtree looks at the top Pac-12 recruiters where you'll find two Oregon names out of a total of five listed.

■ The Pac-12 announced an 11am time slot for football games in an effort to reduce the number of night games.

■ Ashley Young says the waiting game can be challenging when it comes to being Marcus Mariota's backup.

Monday, June 09, 2014

■ Dale Newton looks at the main story lines during spring practice, heading into fall camp and the non-conference games.

Many observers expect the Oregon offense to evolve a little this season. It has to. The spread and up-tempo is no longer the mystery it was when the Ducks went to the Rose Bowl and the BCS National Championship Game. Teams see it week after week and many practice against it every day now. There will likely be some subtle changes and shifts in emphasis. It will be interesting. Exciting offense has become a trademark, and this is a team that’s loaded at tailback, deep on the offensive line, gifted at qb, and green at wide receiver. The South Dakota game won’t reveal much, but they’d better have a cohesive plan for Michigan State. The Spartans are one of the most hard-hitting and disciplined defenses in the country, although they had some considerable losses to graduation, particularly in the defensive backfield and on the defensive line.

Sunday, June 08, 2014

One of Allen’s two touchdown receptions in the spring game came on a broken play that forced Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota to scramble out of the pocket. Allen ran a backside post on the play and continued to run in the direction of a scrambling Mariota. Allen’s heads up play resulted in Mariota hitting him on the money for a 49-yard score. Mariota praised Allen’s performance after the game.“He was able to implement what we did in practice into the game,” Mariota said. “That’s huge to see out of someone as young as he is to be able to have his head on a swivel and recognize [the play].”

Saturday, June 07, 2014

■ Andrew Greif reviews how the Oregon receivers and tight ends did during spring practice and looks ahead to fall.

The receivers were the story of the spring and will remain so on an offense with few other concerns. The questions revolve around Bralon Addison's knee injury, which could keep him out the entire season and makes Oregon's Pac-12 championship hopes dicier without his explosive mix of receiving and returning. Without him, Oregon's top four receivers from 2013 are either graduated or injured, and there's no way around it -- the attrition makes the unit the easiest to wonder about entering fall.

■ Jake Reed goes in the fifth round to the Minnesota Twins, while Tommy Thorpe was selected in the eighth round by the Chicago Cubs yesterday.

■ George Horton had higher hopes for the baseball team this year but injuries seemed to get in his way and that has to be frustrating.

“We talk about ‘next Duck up,’ but the reality is that we lost two of the best pitchers in America, who most likely would have been our Friday and Saturday guys,” Horton said. “I think that put a little bit of a strain on our pitchers, our young pitchers, and affected us down the stretch.”

Friday, June 06, 2014

■ Laura Brehm figures Royce Freeman will make an early impact to the Duck running game.

Freeman stands around 6-feet and at 227 lbs and has skills that fit any system. He’s a big guy who’s tough to take down, but still has impressive agility. He was ranked as high as No. 8 in the running back field and was the No. 2 in the West. On ESPN, he broke well into the top 100 players. Not only is Freeman a stellar player, he’s also got great character. His Imperial coach Kerry Legarra joked, “I would let him date my daughter.” A father does not say that lightly about his daughter.

Thursday, June 05, 2014

■ Andrew Greif looks back at spring practice to see how the running backs did and then looks ahead to fall.

Thomas Tyner gained 58 yards on 10 carries[spring game]. He also had the play of the day when he opted to run over JUCO transfer corner Dominique Harrison instead of a juke for a 19-yard gain. His praise wasn't limited to only the spring game. In early April, offensive coordinator Scott Frost noted: "I'm really impressed with Thomas this spring. If he keeps practicing like he is this spring we're going to have a really good player on our hands. I think he's kind of decided to take it to the next level and it's showing up."

Krook and Balta are the fifth and sixth Ducks’ players to earn freshmen All-America recognition. Jake Reed was named a freshman All-American in 2012, while Garrett Cleavinger, Cole Irvin and Mitchell Tolman all claimed the honor in 2013.

Tuesday, June 03, 2014

■ Andrew Greif continues his spring position reviews by taking a look at the QB's.

If [Marcus] Mariota is healthy -- and he says he recovered from October's sprained MCL by mid-January -- then the Ducks should be included among College Football Playoff contenders and Mariota should be making the awards show circuit in December. If he misses time, the Ducks' backups thinning ranks and uneven play in the May 3 spring game suggests a murkier future for UO.

■ Chantel Jennings looks at Oregon's key stretch this fall which includes the Stanford game..

Sunday, June 01, 2014

Who to watch in August: Handling both punts and placekicks has the potential to take its toll on Wogan's leg — even given Oregon's typically explosive offense — so that juggling act will be worth watching early in the 2014 season. With the departure of Dustin Haines, fellow walk-on QB Taylor Alie is in the mix to hold placekicks, his biggest potential role under fire. The newcomer will be Tanner Carew, who has the chance to be a four-year starter at long snapper, like his predecessor, Drew Howell.

■ The Oregon softball team survived an elimination game against Oklahoma (4-2) in the Women's College World Series on Saturday, and now must beat Alabama twice Sunday.

■ Oregon falls into loser's bracket and needs to win next three to extend season after losing to Vanderbilt 72 yesterday.

In order to do that, they'll have to defeat Xavier in an elimination game Sunday at noon, beat Vanderbilt that night and come back and beat the Commodores again on Monday.